1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electrographic apparatus and more particularly to an improvement in an exit opening portion through which a record sheet with a copied picture image formed thereon is delivered.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various kinds of electrographic apparatus have been proposed and used in practice which make use of a photosensitive body on which is produced an electrostatic latent image corresponding to a manuscript to be copied.
In such electrographic apparatus, the electrostatic latent image is developed into a toned image which is then transferred onto a record sheet so as to form a copied picture image thereon. In this case, it is particularly important to maintain a photosensitive characteristic of the photosensitive body for a long time in a stable manner. For this purpose, the photosensitive body must effectively be shielded from an exterior light. That is, if the photosensitive body is exposed to the exterior light, the premature fatigue failure of the photosensitive body becomes induced, the electrostatic latent image becomes deteriorated or erased or the like, thereby exerting an adverse influence on the copying characteristic of the photosensitive body. In order to obviate such drawback, in the conventional electrographic apparatus, it has been the common practice to surround the photosensitive body with a light screening member in an apparatus main body or to construct the apparatus main body without openings so as to prevent the exterior light from penetrating into the photosensitive body.
But, it is very troublesome to surround the photosensitive body with the light screening member and the assembly thus obtained is complex in construction. In addition, even though the apparatus main body is constructed without openings, the apparatus main body must be provided with an exit opening through which is delivered a record sheet with a copied picture image formed thereon. As a result, there is a risk of the inside of the apparatus main body being exposed to exterior light penetrated through the exit opening. The exterior light is penetrated through the exit opening in each and every direction and particularly the exterior light substantially rectilinearly incident on the photosensitive body without being reflected on various kinds of members in the apparatus main body exerts a bad influence on the photosensitive body. This exterior light is penetrated through a record sheet feeding path into the inside of the apparatus main body and incident on the photosensitive body. That is, the photosensitive body is adjacent to the record sheet feeding path or is located on an extension line drawn from the exit opening in the record sheet delivering direction.
In the conventional electrographic apparatus, it has been proposed to provide a tortuous record sheet feeding path or displace the exit opening into the apparatus main body such that the exterior light substantially rectilinearly incident on the photosensitive body from the exit opening can be shielded.
But, the use of the former measures of making the record sheet feeding path tortuous results in a long record sheet feeding path and makes the apparatus main body complex in construction and large in size. The use of the latter measures of displacing the exit opening into the apparatus main body also makes the apparatus main body complex in construction and large in size.
An electrographic apparatus for obtaining a plurality of copies from an electrostatic latent image corresponding to a manuscript image and produced on a photosensitive body has recently be proposed. Such apparatus can obtain a plurality of copies on the basis of the electrostatic latent image without subjecting the same manuscript to subsequent exposure scanning steps after the electrostatic latent image has been formed. The exterior light is directed substantially rectilinearly without being reflected on various kinds of members in the apparatus main body and does not exert a bad influence on the photosensitive body. This exterior light is penetrated through a record sheet feeding path into the inside of the apparatus main body and incident on the photosensitive body. That is, the photosensitive body is adjacent to the record sheet feeding path or is located on an extension line drawn from the exit opening in the record sheet delivering direction.